CONFERENCE 

ON 


THE  SITUATION  IN 


CHINA 


UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF 


THE  COMMITTEE  OE  REEERENCE  AND  COUNSEL 

NEW  YORK,  FEBRUARY  29,  1912 


EVENTY-FIVE  officers,  members  and  furloughed  missionaries  of 
twenty-eight  Foreign  Missions  Boards  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  having  work  in  China  met  in  New  York,  February  29,  1912, 
— ' at  the  call  of  the  Committee  of  Reference  and  Counsel,  to  consider 
the  extraordinary  situation  in  China  and  the  consequent  duty  of  the  home 
Churches.  Much  preliminary  studying  had  been  done  by  appointed 
speakers  and  there  were  carefully  prepared  papers  and  able  discussions  on 
such  subjects  as:  “The  Present  Situation  in  China,  Its  Causes,  Elements, 
and  Possible  Outcome” — by  the  Rev.  John  E.  Williams,  Vice-President  of 
Nanking  University,  China;  “Effect  of  the  Situation  on  Mission  Work, 
Attitude  and  Policy  of  Missions  and  Boards” — -by  the  Rev.  James  L.  Barton, 
D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  American  Board,  Boston;  “Survey  of  Present 
Missionary  Occupation  and  Distribution  of  Forces,  and  Llnion  Movements" 
— by  the  Rev.  D.  MacGillivray,  D.  D.,  Editor  of  The  China  Mission  Year 
Book,  Shanghai;  “Duty  and  Opportunity  of  the  Boards  in  Developing  a 
Christian  Medical  Profession  and  in  Promoting  Philanthropic  Work  and 
Social  Service” — by  Robert  C.  Beebe,  M.  D.,  Superintendent  of  the  Methodist 
Hospital,  Nanking,  China;  “Enlarged  Need  of  the  Bible  and  a Christian 
Literature  in  the  New  China  and  How  It  Is  to  Be  Met” — by  the  ReAu 
William  1.  Haven,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  New 
York;  “How  Shall  the  Boards  and  Missions  Prepare  for  the  Enlarged 
Evangelistic  Opportunity  Which  Is  Following  the  Political  Readjustment 
in  China” — by  the  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Barbour,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  Baptist 
Society,  Boston;  “How  Shall  the  Boards  and  Missions  Prepare  for  the 
Enlarged  Educational  Opportunity  Which  Is  Following  the  Political 
Readjustment  in  China” — by  the  Rev.  Frank  D.  Gamewell,  D.  D.,  Educa- 
tional Superintendent  for  China  of  the  Methodist  Church ; “The  Chinese 
Churches  and  Their  Relation  to  Present  Problems” — by  the  Rev.  S.  H. 
Chester,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Board,  Nashville; 
“Special  Methods  Which  the  Situation  Demands” — by  the  Rev.  Homer 
C.  Stuntz,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  Methodist  Board,  New  York;  and 
other  topics. 

The  Conference  felt  that  more  time  was  required  to  draw  up  a statement 
of  policies  and  methods  and  asked  the  Committee  of  Reference  and  Counsel 
to  do  this  important  work  and  submit  its  recommendations  to  the  Boards 
for  their  approval.  As  an  aid  to  the  Committee,  and  in  view  of  frequently 
published  statements  that  the  Boards  are  often  disposed  to  obstruct  union 


movements  on  the  foreign  field,  the  Conference  adopted  the  following 
resolutions  as  an  unofficial  expression  of  its  opinion  : 

“1.  This  Conference  desires  to  assure  the  Missions  in  the  strongest  possible  manner  of 
Its  unreserved  approval  of  the  effort  to  accomplish  the  union  of  the  Christian  Church  in 
China  and  promises  the  Missions  that  they  will  have  in  such  efforts  the  hearty  support  of 
the  members  of  this  Conference. 

"2.  The  Conference  approves  of  the  fullest  possible  measure  not  only  of  co-operation 
hut  of  union  in  all  forms  of  mission  work,  such  as  education,  preparation  and  publication 
of  literature,  hospitals  and  philanthropic  work. 

"3.  With  deep  satisfaction  at  the  establishment  and  development  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  China,  and  recognizing  the  supreme  place  which  the  Chinese  Church  must  occupy 
in  the  evangelization  of  the  nation,  this  Conference  expresses  its  sympathy  with  every 
purpose  of  the  Church  itself  to  unite  in  the  interests  of  increased  strength  and  econom> 
and  of  the  effective  propagation  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.” 

The  spirit  of  prayer  was  a marked  characteristic  of  the  Conference. 
'Idle  day  began  with  an  uplifting  devotional  service  conducted  by  the 
!\ight  Rev.  Arthur  S.  Lloyd,  D.  D.,  President  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Hoard,  and  one  of  the  most  solemn  periods  of  the  day  was  the  noon  hour  on 
"Intercessory  Prayer”  under  the  leadership  of  the  Rev.  R.  P.  Mackay,  D.  D., 
Secretary  of  the  Canadian  Presbyterian  Board,  Toronto.  At  the  close  of 
the  Conference,  the  following  “Message  to  the  Home  Churches,  the  Missions 
and  the  Chinese  Churches,”  which  had  been  drawn  up,  at  the  request  of  the 
Committee,  by  Mr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  was  adopted  by  a rising  vote,  after 
which  the  Conference  closed  with  a brief  service  of  prayer  and  consecration. 
THE  MESSAGE  OF  THE  CONFERENCE. 

“The  representatives  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Boards  of  the  United  States 
and  Canada  which  are  carrying  on  missionary  work  in  China  having 
carefully  considered  together  the  situation  which  China  presents  at  this 
hour  to  the  Christian  Church,  desire  to  address  this  word  to  the  Christian 
forces  which  are  at  work  in  the  new  republic  and  to  the  Christian  agencies 
in  North  America  to  which  China  has  looked  and  is  looking  now  for  her 
main  sympathy  and  assistance. 

“The  whole  world  is  agreed  in  recognizing  in  the  transformation  of 
China  one  of  the  greatest  movements  in  human  history.  Whether  we 
consider  the  immensity  of  the  population  affected,  the  character  of  the  change 
that  is  taking  place,  the  magnitude  of  the  interests  which  are  involved,  the 
comparative  peacefulness  of  the  crisis,  or  the  significance  of  the  fact  that  a 
great  and  ancient  race  is  undergoing  in  the  period  of  a decade  a radical 
intellectual  and  spiritual  readjustment,  it  is  evident  that  it  is  given  to  us  to 
witness  and  have  part  in  a vast  movement  whose  consequences  will  affect 
the  whole  world  and  be  unending. 

“This  movement,  we  believe,  may  become,  by  God’s  grace,  if  the 
Christian  Church  is  faithful,  the  regeneration  of  a nation.  For  no  change  of 
institutions,  of  political  principles,  of  social  order,  or  of  economic  conditions 
can  avail  to  satisfy  the  deep  needs  of  which  China  has  now  become  conscious. 
Political  reformation  requires  a new  moral  and  religious  life.  All  that  China 
has  had  that  is  worthy  she  needs  now,  and  with  it  she  needs  also  and  seems 
now  prepared  to  receive,  the  new  conceptions  of  the  Gospel,  and  not  these 
conceptions  only  but  also  the  power  of  God  in  Christ  by  which  alone  they 
may  be  realized  in  the  life  of  the  nation  in  this  new  and  wonderful  day. 


“The  time,  for  which  we  have  long  worked  and  prayed,  appears  to  have 
come  at  last  in  a measure  and  with  a momentum  beyond  our  faith,  and  we 
rejoice  with  the  Christian  agencies  at  work  in  China,  with  the  11,661  leaders 
of  the  Chinese  Christian  Church,  with  its  278,628  members,  and  with  the 
4,299  missionaries  from  Western  lands,  in  the  unique  opportunity  which 
they  possess  of  meeting  an  inquiring  people  with  the  light  and  life  which 
they  are  seeking,  and  of  offering  to  them  and  to  their  rulers  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  one  true  Leader  and  King  of  men. 

“We  rejoice  in  the  measure  of  unity  already  attained  by  the  Christian 
forces  in  China  and  in  their  ability  in  this  hour,  without  waste  or  discord,  to 
present  to  the  Chinese  people  the  one  faith  which  we  all  hold  and  the  one 
Lord  whom  we  all  follow.  We  rejoice  that  so  many  of  the  men  who  have 
wrought  for  China  in  this  time  of  national  need  have  been  Christian  men 
who  have  borne  their  great  responsibilities  with  Christian  fidelity  and  sought 
to  serve  their  country  with  Christian  unselfishness.  With  a Christian 
Church  united  in  its  mission  and  with  Christian  men  serving  the  State  in 
patriotic  and  religious  devotion,  we  believe  that  the  prayers  of  many  hearts 
will  be  answered  that,  on  the  one  hand,  a pure  and  unconfused  Gospel  may 
be  preached  to  the  nation,  and  that  on  the  other  hand  the  Christian  spirit, 
unmixed  with  secular  misunderstanding  or  personal  ambition,  may  control 
the  minds  of  the  men  who  are  to  bear  rule  and  authority  in  the  new  day. 

“In  the  effort  to  which  the  Christian  forces  of  the  nation  will  now  give 
themselves  with  a new  zeal,  to  carry  the  Gospel  far  and  wide  over  China 
and  deep  into  the  life  of  the  people,  we  desire  to  assure  them  of  the  sympathy 
and  support  of  the  Church  in  the  West,  and  we  now  make  appeal  to  the 
Home  Church  to  meet  the  emergency  with  unceasing  prayer  and  unwith- 
holding consecration. 

“We  earnestly  renew  the  appeal  made  by  us  in  January  and  supported 
by  President  Taft,  the  American  Red  Cross,  and  the  China  Famine  Relief 
Committee  for  generous  contributions  to  save  the  lives  of  the  3,000,000 
people  in  China  who  face  starvation  unless  help  is  given  at  once.  (Contri- 
butions may  be  sent  to  any  Foreign  Mission  Board,  to  the  Red  Cross,  or  to 
the  China  Famine  Relief  Committee,  1 Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City  ) 
“Especially  we  ask  the  Church  to  pray : 

For  the  people  of  China,  this  great  and  virile  nation  which, 
awakened  from  the  torpor  of  ages  by  the  quickening  forces  of  the 
modern  world,  is  now  called  upon  to  deal  with  enormous  legislative, 
economic,  educational  and  moral  readjustments. 

For  the  Chinese  Christians,  who  share  in  full  measure  the 
privations  and  problems  that  are  the  common  lot  of  their  coun- 
trymen. 

For  the  missionaries  and  their  work,  the  adequate  expansion 
of  Christian  education  and  evangelization,  and  the  adaptation  of 
mission  methods  to  the  needs  of  the  present  situation. 

For  full  religious  liberty  in  China. 

For  perfect  union  among  the  Christians  of  every  name. 

For  a spirit  of  true  independence  on  the  part  of  the  Church  in 


China  and  of  perfect  co-operation  with  the  Missions  of  the  Churches 
of  the  West. 

For  guidance  of  the  new  leaders  of  China,  that  they  may  be 
Christian  men  and  may  lead  their  land  forward  in  wisdom  and  peace. 

For  the  purity  of  the  Gospel  in  China,  that  it  may  not  be 
misconceived,  but  that  it  may  be  known  and  experienced  as  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation. 

For  a right  attitude  on  the  part  of  all  governments  toward  the 
government  of  China. 

For  the  Manchus  and  the  Chinese  alike,  that  they  may  find 
Christ. 

“So  great  an  opportunity  as  God  now  offers  in  China  is  a sovereign 
summons.  It  demands  of  us  the  enlargement  of  our  horizons,  the  expansion 
of  our  faith,  the  acceptance  of  our  duty,  and  the  eager  and  joyful  exercise  of 
our  fellowship  with  Christ  in  ministering  to  the  need  of  an  awakened  nation, 
and  in  hastening  the  coming  of  His  world-wide  kingdom  by  an  unprece- 
dented advancement.  May  the  Church  in  China  and  in  the  West  be  found 
equal  to  this  opportunity ! 

“We  request  pastors  to  read  this  message  to  their  people,  and  we  appeal 
to  the  men  and  women  of  the  churches  by  their  prayers,  their  counsels  and 
their  enlarged  gifts,  to  aid  in  meeting  the  call  which  is  now  coming  from 
our  Lord  in  China.” 


The  Conference  was  marked  throughout  by  breadth  of  view,  a 
pervasive  spiritual  atmosphere,  and  a profound  sense  of  responsibility  and 
privilege.  This  epitome  of  its  proceedings  is  sent  out  in  the  earnest  hope 
that  the  message  herein  given  will  be  widely  read  and  that  all  the  people  of 
God  will  unite  with  us  in  the  earnest  and  prayerful  effort  to  meet  aright  the 
extraordinary  emergency  to  which  God  is  summoning  His  people. 

Arthur  J.  Brown,  Chairman. 

Charles  R.  Watson,  Secretary. 

James  L.  Barton. 

Thomas  S.  Barbour, 

W.  Henry  Grant. 

\\' alter  R.  Lambuth, 

Arthur  S.  Lloyd. 

Robert  P.  Mackay. 

Alexander  McLean. 

John  R.  Mott. 

F’aul  de  Schweinitz. 

T.  E.  Egerton  Shore. 

Homer  C.  Stuntz. 

Committee  of  Reference  and  Counsel 


Copies  of  this  pamphlet  may  be  obtained  at  the  rate  of  $5.00  a thousand  by  addressing  the 
Rev.  Arthur  J.  Brown,  D.D.,  156  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 


